I didn't do 10 or 20 miles today, but I did hit the trail some with my family to do some testing of the Gearskin and to get some pictures for the review. Since I was already out I took the pictures to update my Hennesy Hammock tips. If you look at the pack in tip #6, #7, and #8, you can see the new Gearskin.

I also have had a user report of the new link menu not working. The problem for Netscape users is the "Java for Navigator" must be enabled under Edit - Preferences - Advanced. If you can't make that work, then I have included a link that opens a frame page with the old navigation system, but IMHO it sucks. Enable Java!

SGT Rock!

Well I was supposed to get frocked today, but duty called. I performed military honors for a Korean War Veteran today, and have another to do tomorrow. So Monday I will get pinned. But considering the reason, I can wait - the veteran's honors are more important.

For news, I just got the Moonbowgear Gearskin backpack this week. It is VERY cool, it is even better than I expected in many ways, but not exactly what I expected in others, so my plan for use will have to be altered slightly. I was planning to take it on a 20 mile day hike Saturday, but I will now have to postpone that until Sunday, or a couple of weeks later - after the field training. I've started working on the review, but will wait to post it until I have some more info.

SGT Rock!

It's official. I'm number 54 on the list. I should be frocked by Friday and also know by Friday what Troop I'll get by Monday!

I'm a little proud of this and want to share some stuff here. Forgiver me if I ramble.

FIRST SERGEANT

I've now got the new site button up because of good news, I've made the Master Sergeant Promotion list and I'll get frocked this week. Since I was in the middle of some large site updates I decided to go ahead and get it up now. Once I'm the Troop 1SG, I may be pretty damn busy!

I've also put in the new navigation system as a test to see how it acts on the entire site. Please give me some feedback here.

SGT Rock!

Just playing around today and discovered a way to preview the new navigation system I plan to upgrade the site too. Besides being cleaner, easier to use, and faster to load, it is easy to customize or update quickly. It is only on the Test Page, but it will be on every page after the upgrade. Also check out the new Graphic.

Please check out the Test Page and give me some feedback!

SGT Rock!

Today has been cool. I just revived an order for two Cat Stoves which pots me one to two stove orders away from buying the software to change my navigation system. I have already put the files together but just can't publish it until I register the software.

I also received an e-mail from Jonathan McCue of Moonbow Gear. My pack was finished on Thursday and should be in the mail. One cool note is Rosaleen who introduced us helped to sew it. As soon as it gets in I have a great excuse to go hiking!

SGT Rock!

Today I got off work early so I got to work on some site updates and fixes. I started by updating some information on my Stove Comparison Page and fixing some links. Then I put a link on my Make Your Own Gear Page to the Wood Stove I design but decided not to use (some one was looking for it earlier). Next I posted Lesson 7 to the Compass Navigation page and started Lesson 8. I also fixed up some pictures for the Soda Stove Instructions so it would be easier to build. Not a bad days work!

I've also been doing everything I can to get the site indexed in search engines. Unfortunately it takes 6-8 weeks to get a listing in and/or updated, so it will be the middle to end of May before the site comes up in search engines with the new address. If you know or have me linked, please update it to the new domain. Thanks!

Please check out suggestions on the Message Board. There are some suggestions that have come up that I would like some feedback for.

SGT Rock!

This weekend I received a stove order sort of. I'm sending a guy one of my new soda can models to try. This, plus Sweeper's offer motivating offer of Esbits got the stove juices flowing. So In addition to the Trioxane vs. Esbit Challenge, I also finished fixing the Soda Can Stove Instructions, and the Soda Can Stove Review. HOI helped me fix some of my stupid errors on those.

So I've finally worked some stuff off the "To Do" list. But as always I'm adding stuff right back in thanks to Rosaleen. In the mix is some upcoming stuff from Moonbow Gear. In the works are a sil-nylon tarp/poncho to work with the Hennessy Ultralight A-Sym Hammock, and the proposed test of the Moonbow Gearskin Backpack as an addition to the Hennessy Hammock. The possibilities with the Gearskin pack are great, this is what I'm hoping:

1. Of course the light pack that integrates your gear as a part of the pack to reduce redundancy.

2. Better load carrying capabilities of the Geraskin than my homemade mesh backpack. Not that my pack is bad, but it has a weight limitation that I can't always live with.

3. Attaching by Velcro directly under the "Sweet Spot" for sleeping, the Gearskin should be removable. This means I can leave it on as a second layer in cold weather and take it off for good ventilation in hot weather.

4. With the Gearskin in place, it can hold the pad and/or reflector UNDER the hammock so it can't slip around in the night as you shift in your sleep.

5. With the Gearskin in place it should slightly stiffen the hammock bottom in the "Sweet Spot" better defining it, and possibly reducing the cocoon effect. Not that it bothered me.

6. Since I intend on using Velcro to attach it, I can leave the pack portion behind when I go on Army training when I already have a pack I am required to carry.

In addition to all that, here is a jpeg of my poncho/tarp design I'm proposing.

To add to that, I'm also trying to get my hands on some new LED lights and put them up against each other. I currently have three different makes/models and I hope to get the 4th.

And if that isn't enough, today they announced the Master Sergeant promotion list will be released 25 APR 2002 0730 EST. I have my fingers crossed.

SGT Rock!

This morning my Troop is doing a 12 mile road march, but since I already did mine I'm running it. But when I woke up too early and couldn't sleep I decided to try cooking on a 1/2 block of esbit which worked pretty good. I updated my comparison Esbit solid fuel tabs vs. Army Tiroxane solid fuel tabs.

SGT Rock!

Today I finally got around to a project I've wanted to do for a while. Thanks to Sweeper I was able to do a side by side comparison of Esbit solid fuel tabs vs. Army Tiroxane solid fuel tabs. I've often considered Tioxane just an alternative to Esbits. If you think the same way, you might want to check out the tests. Esbit was head over heels the winner. Trioxane doesn't even come close!

SGT Rock!

I was going through some e-mails and have got a couple of announcements more than anything. I'm planning to try a Moonbow Backpack if I can get my hands on one. They look like a very cool, lightweight concept that can handle weight better than my mesh rucksack. The other thing is the new link you see below for Peak to Peak  Trail and Wilderness Links. It's a nice directory with search capabilities to find wilderness related sites.

SGT Rock!

I've added a link to Uberpest's Journal. It's a cool site about hiking with your best friend. I've also split the monster Hennessy Ultralight A-Sym Hammock review into three parts so it loads faster.

I want to do more this weekend on the site, but I have some engagements planned, and some stove stuff to do Sunday.

SGT Rock!

Well the new message board looks like a success so I changed the links to the new board and the new Lexicon.

SGT Rock!

SGT Rock!

SGT Rock!

The new test message board at http://pub2.ezboard.com/baroundthecampfire46643 has had a few minor registering problems, but it seems to be ironing out with the instructions I just added today, now if I could get more people to just USE THE DANG THING! I've also thought of a way I may be able to move the Hiker Lexicon to that site if the message board works out.

I have also started the Hall of Honor. I'm sure I missed someone out there, but I sifted through about 2 years of e-mails, all my pages, and my poor memory to find anyone I thought may deserve some recognition. The next half will be to go to every page that I think needs to have their recognition and do a hyper link back to their entry in the Hall of Honor. Check it out!

SGT Rock!

I'm up early this morning getting ready to go into work. I'm the NCOIC for my unit's "Spur Ride" and I have to be in there to thrash some Spur Candidates.

I'll not be back to answer any questions or update anything on the pages until probably Saturday because it's a two day event. In the meantime please try out the new board and make some suggestions on the site - it would help me greatly if I knew what ya'll are interested in. I've posted my "to do" list: http://pub2.ezboard.com/baroundthecampfire46643 Check it out and test it.

SGT Rock!

Small update for now, I'm trying to figure out how I want to do some things to improve the site. I've posted a list on the message board, but after getting a suggestion from Waynerd, I have looked into an EZBoard account for my message board. I have set up a test board at this address: http://pub2.ezboard.com/baroundthecampfire46643 Check it out and test it.

Also look under suggestions, I'm going to list them there again. now if I could just figure out how to do a poll.

It has also been a "one of those days" night. I started on a new page called the Hall of Honor so I can recognize all the contributors to the site. I did a lot of text and graphic work, links, and some other stuff when my friggin computer locked up and I lost everything except the blank page - and some of my hardware went on the fritz. It took me three restarts and some actual hardware work on my computer to get it back to working - and I still can't figure out why it happened. ARGH!

SGT Rock!

Nope, this isn't an April Fools Joke, your actually seeing the site on a new server. Today hasn't led to anything productive on the site other than getting the pages switched over and fixing some problems. If you'll notice, almost every page opens in this browser window now -  A problem I assumed was because of those free sites, but turned out to be me not understanding FrontPage that well. It was tedious work, but now that is fixed. This URL is only temporary and will quit working about 1 May, so look for me at www.hikinghq.net within the next 4 days.

If you look at the Guestbook the font and images have also been changed to align with the new page.

I also went through and fixed the e-mail links. They were still listing that stupid HotPOP account I just deleted. If you sent me an e-mail recently chances are you need to re-send it if I haven't responded. There will be a new e-mail account to go with the site, but that isn't up yet.

Another of my projects that I was looking forward to getting to work correctly was the Hiker Lexicon. I even figured out a cool way to have ya'll submit directly to a database, then have the pages bring up the results alphabetically. It was very cool, and even I would have been able to sit here on line and enter stuff without firing up the WYSIWYG editor. But the server doesn't support ASP pages, so it will be on hold for a while and you'll still have to submit by e-mail.

SGT Rock!

New Month and new server, well sort of. I now have my new web server up, but I have a temporary URL of http://hikinghqnet.powweb.com/ until my domain registration is complete, which takes 24 to 72 hours o complete. Once that happens, I'll be at www.hikinghq.net. You can access the new web site at the first address, but it's nothing different than is here. After the new domain goes up, this tripod site will disappear and there will be a re-direct page put here.

Of course you could be reading this at the new site... then your at the right place for now.

SGT Rock!